Credit: armadillo444, FlickrAn incident took place during a performance of A Christmas Fantasy parade at Disneyland this week.
Whether it’s a year-round daytime parade such as Magic Kingdom’s Festival of Fantasy or a seasonal favorite like Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, Disney’s parades typically run like well-oiled machines. While every parade varies slightly, you can usually expect a combination of the company’s most iconic characters – from classics such as Mickey, Minnie, and Donald to newer favorites, including Anna, Elsa, and Moana – to proceed through the park during its respective performance.
However, things can – and do – go wrong from time to time, as proven by a tumble during A Christmas Fantasy parade at Disneyland.
As shown in a video shared on TikTok by @br.ttanyjo, one of the parade’s snowmen fell to the ground in front of the Frozen float earlier this week.
@br.ttanyjo Even the snowmen aren’t safe from the Main Street tracks 🤣 #fyp #disneyland #disneychristmas #mainstreetusa #achristmasfantasyparade @Disney Parks
The character was soon surrounded by their fellow snowmen, who proceeded to form a circle and dance while cast members swooped into action to check if they were okay.
“Even the snowmen aren’t safe from the Main Street tracks,” the TikToker wrote in the video’s caption, referring to the notorious tripping hazard that runs down Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park as well as the likes of Magic Kingdom Park.
Notably, a lawsuit was recently filed by a guest who also tripped on the tracks at Magic Kingdom. The lawsuit alleges that the claimant – a Kentucky resident named Rhonda Smith – got their foot caught in the track during a visit on October 24, causing her to “trip and fall and sustain serious injuries.” Smith is now seeking over $50,000 from The Walt Disney Company.
A similar incident was caught on camera over the 2024 holiday season. After a snowman fell on Main Street, U.S.A., they issued an emergency signal until a non-performer cast member came to their aid.
Later that same year, another snowman fell in a nighttime performance of the parade. In this case, the snowman managed to clamber back to their feet with the aid of their fellow snowmen, many of whom laughed their way through the incident.
@mxrixsa13 these little guys are soo cute 😭⛄️💕 #parati #trendingsound #trendingaudios #fyp #fypシ #disney #disneyland #christmas #disneychristmas #disneysnowman #snowman #disneyparade #disneyfail #comedy
A TikTok user seemingly confirmed that getting up is tough when a snowman falls during the parade. “When I worked the parade, specifically with the snowmen, I always suggested to the performers that while backstage if they wanted to practice getting up from the ground in full costume so they can figure out how to get up on their own,” they wrote. “All the snowmen practiced getting up from a fall and were pros.”
Other Character Incidents During Disney Parades
This isn’t the first incident of its kind during a Disney parade.
Earlier this year, Tigger collapsed during a parade performance at Shanghai Disneyland. The Chinese theme park can reach notoriously high temperatures during the summer, with the character performer seemingly succumbing to heat exhaustion.
Back in 2024, the Beauty and the Beast (1991) inspired opening float suddenly stopped in the rain midway through a performance of Magic Kingdom’s Festival of Fantasy. The Beast’s tail then appeared to snap off while descending the float, with Belle proceeding to help hide the incident from guests.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever witnessed during a Disney parade?